Patient-reported outcomes and associated factors in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a cross-sectional study

<title>Abstract</title> <p>Purpose To describe patient-reported outcomes (PROs) assessed using the LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module and to identify factors associated with different outcome domains in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) in mainland China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between November 2022 and July 2023 among 327 patients with BCRL at a tertiary oncology hospital in mainland China. PROs were assessed using the Chinese version of the LYMPH-Q Upper Extremity Module. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify factors independently associated with six subscales: symptoms, function, appearance, psychological well-being, information, and arm sleeve. Results A total of 327 patients were included. Participants reported the highest scores on the function subscale (83.8 ± 15.8), whereas lower scores were observed on the information subscale (53.7 ± 22.3) and arm sleeve subscale (55.6 ± 15.1). Lymphedema severity and depression were the most consistent negative factors and were associated with poorer outcomes across most subscales (P &lt; 0.05). Other domain-specific factors associated with one or more LYMPH-Q subscales included age, educational level, household income, tumor stage, endocrine therapy, anxiety, and lymphedema management within the previous 6 months (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion PROs in patients with BCRL were associated with several demographic and health-related factors, particularly lymphedema severity and depression. These findings support multidimensional management strategies that integrate routine psychological screening with interventions tailored to lymphedema severity. Further studies should evaluate whether targeted psychosocial and clinical interventions improve outcomes in this population.</p>